H1N1 victim Rida Shaikh's family files FIR against two Pune Hospitals

Pune, Aug 6 (ANI): Family members of the 14-year-old Rida Shaikh, who died of swine flu, filed an FIR against the doctors of two private hospitals in Pune on Thursday.

The FIR has been filed by Rida's aunt, Ayesha Shaikh.

"We would initiate civil and criminal law proceedings against these two private hospitals (Jehangir and Ruby) which had a nexus between them," said Asif Lampwala, lawyer of Rida's family.

Rida was admitted in a private hospital on July 26 with symptoms of sore throat, running nose and headache.

According to her parents, the doctors initially diagnosed it as a case of pneumonia. Later, Rida was put on a ventilator when her condition deteriorated.

Meanwhile, nine more persons, including three schoolmates of deceased Rida of St. Anne's School, were tested positive for the virus in Pune. With this, the number of total positive H1N1 infections registered in the city now stands at 118.

Two other schools of Pune - St Helena and Loyola - have also reported one each positive case of the virus, said Dr Ravindra Katti, State Health Department official.

The Maharashtra Government has promulgated the Epidemic Diseases Act in Pune and Satara districts.

The Act empowers the district magistrates to take measures to prevent an outbreak of the disease, including stopping social gatherings. (ANI)